Residents Banned From Walking Dogs Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

By Bill GalluccioMar 29, 2020

The citizens of Serbia are not happy after authorities banned them from walking their dogs. Officials in the landlocked country are doing everything they can to slow the spread of COVID-19. Since the global coronavirus pandemic began, the government has enacted some of the harshest restrictions on its citizens. They ordered everybody over the age of 65 to remain at home and issued a curfew between the hours of 5 p.m. and 5 a.m. along with other measures to encourage social distancing.

The decision was met with anger by locals, who blasted officials on social media. People were concerned about the impact the order will have on the health of their beloved pets. One person said that when she doesn't take her dog for a walk, he gets depressed and stops eating.

Residents also created a petition, urging officials to reconsider the ban. As of Sunday (March 29) morning, the petition is just a few hundred signatures short of its goal of 30,000. It is unknown if the government is going to lift the ban on walking pets.

To keep up to date on the latest news about the coronavirus and to understand what you need to stay safe and healthy, check out the Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction podcast from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.